Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Dr. Krygsman addresses students and faculty upon appointment. Photo by Michelle Drew
This week, the face of Redeemer’s next step forward was unveiled. Dr. Hubert R. Krygsman of Dordt College, Iowa has been selected as Redeemer’s new president. Beginning on June 14, 2010, he will begin his work here, filling in Dr. Cooper’s shoes. These are not a set of bowling lane loaners, either; this past year has been one of accomplishment and excitement that Dr. Cooper can proudly stick as a feather in his cap.
Dr. Krygsman will be leaving a position as Associate Provost and Director of the Andreas Center for Reformed Scholarship and Service at Dordt in order to take the helm here in Ancaster. He has also been involved in reshaping the university’s curricular core and is the director of the Andreas Centre of research.
Board Chair Ray Pennings described the scope of the selection process, indicating that the search committee had “thrown their net as wide as possible” in order to select the right candidate. More than sixty different leaders were spoken to directly before the academic year began, and each was considered carefully. Pennings spoke for the search committee, saying that they were confident that they had selected the leader that they had set out to find. He described Krygsman as a “thoughtful risk-taker” who would be capable of keeping the institution on course with its mission.
Krygsman claimed that the process for him and his wife Nancy is “truly a wonderful, spirit-led journey, as we begin a relationship with Redeemer.” He cited the strong academic work and engagement with the broader community as strong points for Redeemer, and finished his address with a blessing. “God bless you as you finish this semester and the academic year, and I look forward to coming back here in June.”
Although Krygsman has been working in the United States for nearly twenty years, he was raised in Ontario, and studied in Canadian universities. Still, he was an unfamiliar face and for those gathered in the Auditorium on Tuesday there were mixed feelings about meeting the person who will likely have a major impact on this institution. Chaplain Syd Hielema addressed those feelings, quoting a colleague who had described the selection process as an arranged marriage. “Well,” said Hielema, “today is the awkward first date.”
In the November 2009 issue of The Crown, I interviewed President Cooper about the financial upturn that the University had been experiencing. Rather than patting himself on the back, he attributed the blessings to God’s work, suggesting that it would “get the attention of the next president that God has already chosen.” Those words appear prophetic this month, as Krygsman expressed similar excitement about how God is working at Redeemer.
Students have a few reservations about this new president, however. Dr. Cooper has gotten away with sharing his birthday cake with only a few summer workers. A google search was unable to yield any indication about when Krygsman’s birthday is. Perhaps he is trying to keep his cake to himself. “Either way,” says one student, “he had better have a snazzy housecoat at the midnight breakfast.”
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